Telegraph printer



. 31, 1.939. V. K GUNDLFINGER 2,145,479

' TELEGRAPH PRINTER Filed July 3, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l @ma zew a$811.31, 1839. K. GUNDLFINGER 7 2,145,479

TELEGRAPH PRINTER Filed July 3, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A T TORNE YS.

Patented Jan. 31, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT orr'lclz TELEGRAPH PRINTERApplication July 3, 1937, Serial No. 151,860 In Germany January 1, 193610 Claims.

The invention relates to teleprinters which can both receive andtransmit current impulse code telegraph signals and print the de-codedsignals.

It is well known that if each signal is made up of five currentimpulses, only 32 difierent telegraph signals can be formed. The numberof characters (letters, numerals and signs) of which a message can bemade up is, however, greater than 32 and it is therefore usual for aparticular telegraph signal to correspond to more than one character,for example, to a letter and also to a numeral or a sign and forselection of the desired character to be made therefrom by thetransmission of a shift signal. It is usual for teleprinters using acurrent impulse code of this kind to have a number of type carrierswhich is just equal to the number of telegraph signals provided by thecode inquestion, each type carrier carrying two types, namely a letterand a numeral or a sign.

The keyboard keys-can then correspond in numher to the number ofsignals, each having represented on it the two characters correspondingto the signal which is transmitted when the key is depressed. Theinternational standardization of 5 teleprinter keyboards prescribes,however, a

four-bank keyboard similar to the ordinary typewriter keyboardcomprising two keys for certain signals, one being a letter key and theother a numeral or sign key. Both keys when depressed cause, however,the same telegraph signal to be transmitted. The number of keys providedfor the transmission of character signals does not therefore correspondto the number of type carriers which can be actuated by the receivedtelegraph signals.

The invention will now be explained in greater detail by reference tothe accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates diagrammatically an example of a layout of the typein an instrument in accordance with the invention, and

Figure 2 illustrates diagrammatically the connections between thekeyboardof the instrument and the signal receiving and transmittingdevices.

In the arrangement shown diagrammatically in Figure 1 of theaccompanying drawings, the keyboard TF has four rows each of 10 keys T.The order numbers of these keys reading from left to right are given inthe space 0N while their impulse train numbers in-the standardinternational telegraph code are given in the space SN. It will be seenthat the keys 1 and Q, for example, cause the transmission of the sameimpulse train, viz., No. 17; the keys 2 and W the impulse train No. 23;the keys 3 and E the impulse train No. 5; the keys 4 and R the impulsetrain No. 18; the keys 5 and T the impulse train No; 20; the keys 6 andY the impulse train No. 25; and so on.

The dots in'the space S indicate diagrammati- 5 cally which'of the keysact upon the transmitter for sending out telegraph signals. This is thecase for all keys in the known teleprinters.

The dots in the space E indicate which of the type carriers TT can beactuated by the signal 10 receiver. The type carriers TT showncrosshatched may for the present be considered as non-existent. It mayalso be assumed for the present that there is no mechanical connectionbetween the keys T and the type carriers TT and 15.

that the type carriers are acted upon simply by the signal receivingdevices indicated by the dots in the space E. It will be seen that mostof the type carriers have two types, viz. one belonging to the lettergroup TB and one to the numerals 20 and signs group T2. The types 1 andQ, 2 and W, 3 and E, 4 and R, 5 and T, 6 and Y and so on are arranged onone type carrier although two keys are provided in the keyboard for thetransmission of the corresponding telegraph signals. 25

When using the standard international keyboard, difficulties areexperienced in cases where the type carriers are arranged for actuationnot only by the telegraph signals through the electrically controlledreceiving devices, but also 'di- 30 rectly and mechanically in themanner in which ordinary typewriter keys are actuated. To deal withincoming signals, a pair of associated char acters must be arranged onone type carrier as either of these two characters can be printed on 35,

the other ones.

In order to enable the standard international arrangement of the keys tobe used in teleprinters in which the type carriers are also operablemechanically, in accordance with the invention, a

number of keys corresponding to different characters are provided forthe transmission of the same current signal. Each of these keysmechanically controls a type carrier but only one of the type carriersis operable by the signal receiving devices.

This one carries several types corresponding to the various charactershaving the same signal.

If, for example, two keys are provided for one signal, then each of themcan operate a type carrier mechanically. One of these type carriers isprovided with two types corresponding to the two characters having thesame signal and can be operated also by the signal receiving devices.The other type carrier, however, cannot be operated by the receivingdevices but only mechanically through its associated key. It need onlyhave one type, preferably the type belonging to the numerals and signsgroup which, therefore, is printed only after a shift operation.

The extra type carriers provided in accordance with the invention areshown cross-hatched in the drawings. It will be seen, for example, thatkey No. 6character Yis mechanically connected to the type carrier whichcarries the types Y and 6. The dot in the space E indicates that thistype carrier can also be actuated by the signal receiving devices. Whenthe current impulse train No. 25 is received, the type Y is printed. If,however, the current impulse train No. 39 which is a shift signal hadalready been received, the numeral 6 would have been printed.

The key No. 21-character 6is connected to a type carrier having a type 6belonging to the numerals and signs group TZ. This type cannot be actedupon by the signal receiving devices. It is acted upon only when the keyNo. 21 is struck, and as it belongs to the numerals and signs group TZ,it can only be printed if the carriage is first of all shifted byactuation of the shift key No. 2 marked Zi. The operator must, in anycase, only strike a numeral or sign key after having struck the shiftkey 22', for example, which carries the designation 6. The same currentimpulse train No. 25 is transmitted by operation of the key No,Zl-character 6-as is transmitted by operation of the key No. 6characterY. Failure to transmit the shift signal would result in the printing ofthe character Y instead of the character 6. If, in the teleprinteraccording to the invention, the operator forgets to actu ate the shiftkey Zi before actuating the key marked 6, no printing takes place atall, so that his attention is thus drawn to the mistake.

The same applies for the type carriers of the keys Nos. 1, 5, 9, l3,1'7, 21, 25, 29, 33 and 37 which are shown cross-hatched in thedrawings.

The use in accordance with the invention of extra type carriers forthose keys which control a current impulse train appropriate to thereproduction of two types, which train is transmitted also by anotherkey itself associated with a type carrier, thus makes it possible toprovide even teleprinters having type carriers which are operateddirectly and mechanically by the keys with the standard internationalkeyboard. Such machines have, however, the advantage of greatersimplicity compared with teleprinters having type carriers operatedexclusively by the electrical receiving devices because they can beconstructed to a very great extent on the lines of ordinary typewriters.

In the arrangement shown in Figure 2, five permutation bars SB and ashift bar SB are arranged beneath the keys T, T and TS of the keyboard.

Each key has a different combination of projections t which, when a keyis depressed, come into contact with corresponding permutation bars. Inthis way, different contacts of a rotary distributor SSF are connectedto the source of current so that on reversal of the switch SS androtation of the distributor, the corresponding code combination is sentout through the line TL. The keys T and T are mechanically connected totype carriers TT and TT which, when actuated, print the types on them ona paper strip carried by the roller PD. The paper roller PD is held by apair of arms PS mounted for rotation on the spindle PA. These arms areconnected through a linkage to the shift key TS so that the paper rolleris swung about the spindle PA when the shift key is depressed and viceversa. It will be assumed that the type carrier TT carries two types,one belonging to the letters group and the other to the numerals andsigns group and both of which have the same code current impulsecombinations, for example the types Y and 6 (see Figure l) It will alsobe assumed that the type carrier TT only carries one type, namely thenumeral or sign type 6 carried by the carrier TI. The two keys T and Thave the same combination of projections t and on being struck thereforecome into contact with the same permutation bars SB and cause the samecode combination to be transmitted. With the paper roller PD in theposition illustrated, depression of the key T will cause the letter typeY to be printed. To print the numeral or sign type 6, the paper rollerPD must first be swung about the spindle PA by depression of the shiftkeys TS.

The tail TA of the key T lies above one end of a lever EL in the signalreceiving apparatus. The receiver comprises five selecting magnets ESM,only one of which is shown in the drawings. These selecting magnets ESMare connected tothe various contacts of a rotary receiving distributorESF, the arm of which is connected to the line TL in the normal positionof the switch SS. Each selecting magnet ESM has an armature ESA which ismechanically connected to a difierent. one of a set of pivotally mountedpermutation members EB. When the permutation members EB have been set bythe various impulses of the received code combination through themagnets ESM, the testing levers ETL (only one of which is shown in thedrawings) are allowed to drop into contact with them by the magnet EAM.The levers ETL have different combinations of teeth so that a particularone of them can then engage with its teeth between the permutationmembers according to the setting of the latter. This particular leverETL thus brings a hook EH mounted on the other end of the lever EL intothe path of movement of the armature EPB of the printing magnet EPM. Ifnow the printing magnet EPM is energized, the hook EH is drawn down andthe lever EL swings clockwise about its axis and strikes the tail TA ofthe key T so that the type carrier TT prints its letter type Y.

The key T which has no letter type but only the numeral type 6 has notail TA. It therefore is not operated by the lever EL of the receivingdevice.

The shift key TS has a tail TSA which is struck by a lever correspondingto the lever EL on receipt of the appropriate shift signal. If thenumeral type 6 which is provided both on the type carrier TT and on thetype carrier TT is to be printed, then that shift signal must first bereceived so that the shift key TS is struck through its tail TSA and thepaper roller PD is swung. On receipt of the impulse combination whichcauses the tail TA of the key T to'be struck by the lever EL, the typecarrier TT will then print its numeral or sign type, i. e., the numeral6.

It will be appreciated that while the numeral 6 can be printed by meansof the type carrier TT only on receipt of the appropriate shift signalfollowed by the signal corresponding to the numeral 6, this numeral canbe printed by manual actuation either of the key T or the key T.

The above-described arrangement of selecting magnets ESM, combinationmembers EB, testing members ETL and printing magnet EPM is similar tothat described and illustrated in my copending application Serial No.118,101 filed December 29, 1936 and forms no part of the presentinvention.

I claim:

1. A combination telegraph instrument adapted for use as a transmitterand as a receiver and for the production of home copies comprising astandard international keyboard, a plurality of type carriers associaedindividually with the character denoting keys of said keyboard andprovided with types corresponding to the characters depicted on saidkeys, mechanical means connecting said type carriers to said keyswhereby said type carriers can be actuated by manual operation of saidkeys, certain of said type carriers being provided with extra types, thetypes on any one of said carriers all having the same current im- 7pulse combination and a receiving device for receiving incoming signalsin the form of current impulse combinations comprising means adapted toactuate selectively only said carriers provided with said extra types.

2. A combination telegraph instrument adapted for use as a transmitterand as a receiver and for the production of home copies comprisingsignal receiving means, a set of manually operable type carriers eachprovided with a plurality of types belonging to different charactergroups, a further set of manually operable type carriers each providedwith a type provided also on a carrier of said first mentioned set,means controlled by said signal receiving means for selecting one ofsaid groups of types and for selectively actuating only saidfirst-mentioned set of type carriers, a plurality of keys for actuatingsaid type carriers and signal transmitting means operable on actuationof said keys.

3. A combination telegraph instrument adapted for use as a transmitterand as a receiver and for the production of home copies comprisingsignal receiving means, a set of manually operable type carriers eachprovided with a plurality of types belonging to different charactergroups, manually operable means for selecting the types belonging to oneof said groups for being printed on actuation of their type carriers,means controlled by said signal receiving means for selecting the typesbelonging to one of said groups of types for being printed and forselectively actuating said first mentioned set of type carriers, 2,further set of type carriers arranged for manual actuation only andprovided each with a type provided also on a carrier of saidfirst-mentioned set and signal transmitting means operable on manualactuation of all of said type carriers.

4. A combination telegraph instrument adapted for use as a transmitterand as a receiver and for the production of home copies comprisingsignal receiving means, a plurality of type carriers each provided witha plurality of types belonging to different character groups, aplurality of type carriers each provided with a type provided also onone of said first-mentioned type carriers, manually operable means forselecting one of said groups of types for being printed, meanscontrolled by said signal receiving means for actuating said selectingmeans and selectively actuating said first-mentioned type carriers onreceipt of appropriate signals, a plurality of manually operable keysfor selectively actuating all said type carriers and signal transmittingmeans operable on manual actuation of said keys.

5. A combination telegraph instrument adapted for use as a transmitterand as a receiver and for the production of home copies comprisingsignal receiving means, a plurality of type carriers each provided withtwo types having the same code signal, a plurality of type carriers eachprovided with a type provided also on one of said firstmentionedtypecarriers, a plurality of manually operable keys individuallyconnected to said type carriers, manually operable means for selecting aparticular one of said two types on a carrier for being printed onoperation of one of said keys, means controlled by said signal receivingmeans for actuating said manually operable means and those of said keyswhich are connected to said first-mentioned type carriers and signaltransmiting means operable on actuation of all said keys.

6. A combination telegraph instrument adapted for use as a transmitterand as a receiver and for the production of home copies comprising asignal receiving device, a plurality of type carriers each provided withtwo types corresponding to characters having the same code signal, aplurality of type carriers each provided with a type provided also onone of said first-mentioned type carriers, a plurality of manuallyoperable keys individually connected to said type carriers, a manuallyoperable shift key operable to cause a particular one of said two typeson a type carrier: to be printed on operation of that one of said keyswhich is connected to said type carrier, means controlled by said signalreceiving device for actuating said shift key on receipt of anappropriate signal and for selectively actuating those of said keyswhich are connected to said first-mentioned type carriers on receipt ofthe signals corresponding to the types carried by said carriers andsignal transmitting means operable on actuation of all of said keys.

7. A combination telegraph instrument adapted for use as a transmitterand as a receiver and for the production of home copies comprising aplurality of keys, a plurality of type carriers, mechanical meansactuated by said keys for actuating said type carriers, each of saidkeys having associated with it a character and a type carrier providedwith a type depicting said character, a movable paper support, means forshifting said paper support, shift keys controlling said shifting means,means for emitting current impulse combinations controlled by said keysand by said shift keys, means for receiving current impulsecombinations, means controlled by said receiving means for selectivelyoperating said type carriers, means controlled by said receiving meansfor controlling said shifting means, at least two of said keysassociated with diiTerent characters being adapted to operate saidcurrent impulse transmitting means for the transmission of one and thesame current impulse combination, one of the type carriers associatedwith said last-mentioned keys being provided with a plurality of typesdepicting the different characters associated with all of said lastmentioned keys and one only of said last mentioned type carriers beingoperated by said receiving means on receipt of the appropriate currentimpulse combination.

8. A combination telegraph instrument adapted for use as a transmitterand as a receiver and for the production of home copies comprising aplurality of keys, means controlled by said keys for emitting currentimpulse combinations, shift keys, means controlled by said shift keysfor emitting current impulse combinations, means for receiving currentimpulse combinations, a plurality of type carriers one for each of saidkeys and forming a plurality of groups, means controlled by saidreceiving means for selective operation of the type carriers in one ofsaid groups, each type carrier in said last mentioned group beingprovided with a plurality of types representing different characters, apaper support, shift means controlled by said receiving means forshifting said paper support and mechanical means controlled by each keyfor operating the type carrier associated with it, a plurality of saidkeys having different characters being adapted to operate said currentimpulse emitting means for the emission of one and the same combinationand one key of said last-mentioned keys having associated with it a typecarrier of said group carrying a plurality of types and being controlledby said receiving means.

9. A combination telegraph instrument adapted for use as a transmitterand as a receiver and for the production of home copies comprising aplurality of types depicting letters, a plurality of types depictingnumerals and signs, a plurality of keys associated individually withsaid letters, a plurality of keys associated individually with saidnumerals and signs, a plurality of type carriers provided with types ofthe letter group, a plurality of type carriers provided with types ofthe numerals and signs group, a plurality of type carriers provided withtypes of both groups, a movable paper support, shift keys, meanscontrolled by said shift keys for shifting said paper support,mechanical means actuated by said keys for operating said type carriers,means controlled by said keys for emitting current impulsecombinations,.each pair of keys comprising a letter key associated witha type carrier carrying types of both groups and a numeral and sign keyassociated with a type carrier carrying a numeral and sign type beingadapted to operate said signal emitting means for the emission of oneand the same current impulse combination and means for receiving currentimpulse combinations, said means controlling only the type carrierscarrying types of both groups.

10. Acombination telegraph instrument adapted for use as a transmitterand as a receiver and for the production of home copies comprising incombination, a plurality of key actuated type carriers carrying typesdepicting letters, a plurality of key actuated type carriers carryingtypes depicting numerals and signs, at least one key actuated typecarrier carrying two types one depicting a letter and the other anumeral or sign, shift keys for selectively causing types depictingnumerals or signs to be printed, means controlled by the keys foremitting current impulse combinations, the key actuating a type carriercarrying a single type and the key actuating a type carrier depictingtwo types including one identical with said single type being adapted tooperate said signal emitting means for the emission of one and the samecurrent impulse combination and means for receiving current impulsecombinations adapted to actuate only said type carriers carrying twotypes.

KARL GUNDLFINGER.

